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Waves to Sam 👋
Trace Elliott GP7 SM head with SWR 1 x 15 cab.
Sounds loud! I approve 🙂
It sure is loud...
I like this video by Victor Wooten....
I like how he emphasises the importance of feeling..... i've been trying to remember this mantra 'feeling is where it's at' ... 'play less techniques and more music'
I’m currently studying for my grade 5… in bass and grade one in vocals. Currently I’m looking to join a band in the Huddersfield(ish) area (I live in Holmfirth).
Hi @sam3000
I'm also studying for G5 bass. Which songs have you done so far? Heartbreaker is the one I'm on at the moment.
waves from Scapegoat Hill.....
Hi Scapegoat.....
I'm currently working through 'Get Lucky'- Daft Punk and 'September' - Earth Wind and Fire. I haven't decided on the other yet. I haven't entered for the other grades before, however I have the theoretical knowledge to pass 6/7/8 in theory), I just wanted to start within my comfort zone. I'm going to do the assessment with three pieces and theory content rather than 5 performance pieces.
If you're in Scapegoat, chances are we've ridden together, perhaps around the CVMBC route.
Is anyone on here going to the Uk Bass Guitar show in Liverpool in April?
I’ve never been..
is it worthwhile going?
I’m always in the market for a new bass, or two, or maybe a new amp/ cab.
Hi Sam
Must be a different syllabus.... I'm doing Led Zep's Heartbreaker and Tame Impala's Cause I'm a Man from the Trinity College Rock n Pop Bass book so far ..
Yeah, I did the CVMBC and the Holme Valley several times, so no doubt our paths have crossed.
Hi @sam3000
I’m currently working through ‘Get Lucky’- Daft Punk
How does this work in music grading exams - do you have to work out the base line yourself or play a pre written one, or what? I been playing on and off since 1976 and never done a music exam, but always wondered about it.
I've just had to play Get Lucky at gig last weekend and found there were loads of different tab, notation and you tube videos on it - all very diferent to each other and none of them that much like the acutal bass line. So what do you play to it?
Hi J-R
The Trinity College course comes with a book with a election of songs/pieces. Buying the book gives you an access code for the songs in the approved list. You can stream or download the backing track and a demo track to practise and then you need to play to the backing track in the exam.
The book comes with a score for each song, with musical notation and a tab version for each. The bass lines for each are kinda simplified for the exam.... for example Led Zep's Heartbreaker has a simplified passage where Jones in the original plays a series of slides A-C, with an occasional mixture of passing or grace notes on the way back down between bars, but in the Trinity track and score these are left as simple slides and a rest. They've also swapped an instrumental passage and the guitar solo around, and tell you to improv
The TAB is a bit naff. It would help a player who can't read music, sort of, but I do an amount of accompaniment which means I like to read the notes and decide where to play them depending on the most efficient or intuitive positions to play passages or riffs and licks.
Tabs have the advantage of being very easy to write down/type even if you can read music. A good tab wil get you very close to a score.
Finding efficient intuitive positions is really easy on a bass where you have all four strings tuned in fourths. If you want to play a note on the next lower string it's five frets up. If you want an octave up it's two strings higher and two frets up, or just 12 frets up on the same string obviously. If you don't like the tab, modify it. I've been doing a lot of this recently as I've been playing tunes on a guitar with a 14th fret neck joint that I usually play on a guitar with a cut away. There's a limit to playing lead on bass because of the lack of octaves.
Neither tabs nor the music score are a substitute for listening to the original or a version you like. Better still, take the score/tab as a start point and make it yours. I'm no good at that myself but love it when an artist takes a piece and turns it into something else whilst using the same notes.
I'm using the Trinity books. I'm up to Grade 4, I like the mix of songs and that there are 2 versions of the backing tracks - with and without the bass parts.
Thanks Scapegoat, I never knew about that. I’ll get one of their books and have a go.
Neither tabs nor the music score are a substitute for listening to the original or a version you like. Better still, take the score/tab as a start point and make it yours. I’m no good at that myself but love it when an artist takes a piece and turns it into something else whilst using the same notes.
That's the joy of it. A lot of the stuff I'm playing was written for simple guitar chords and the basslines are often just the chord roots with a rhythm, or even simpler, all I get to see is the chord charts and the vocal score. That means I can find or set up a backing track and turn it into something more interesting.
Other scores however are written or arranged by a mate who will include a written bass line, and these are more fun/challenging. Even those can be manipulated ..... I can simplify them if he's got carried away beyond my skill-level, or I can play around and find a fun bridge, or a lick or fill that adds to the piece.
Tabs have the advantage of being very easy to write down/type even if you can read music. A good tab will get you very close to a score.
Of course, and I've learnt a whole lot of stuff using them. Musical notation has the advantage of rhythm, which a tab-only player would have to listen to the real thing to get a feel of. I've been sight-reading for voice since I was a child so feel perfectly at home with either method.
I sold my Fender Mustang Short Scale last weekend, and almost immediately regretted it.
I wanted to try something different from the usual Fender/Squire offerings in short scale offerings.
The G&L Tribute Fallout Short Scale from Andertons looks interesting, but the Lobster review isn't great. The Sterling shorty stingrays are hard to come by and not cheap at just less than £700. I'd really like a Chowny SWB signature short scale, but they are also OOS everywhere.
So I finally settled on a SIRE Marcus Miller U5 in natural from BAX who had a B stock (returned item) available.
Roll on Wednesday!
PS Anyone want to buy one of these at a reasonable price
https://www.fender.com/en-GB/electric-basses/jazz-bass/vintera-60s-jazz-bass/0149633304.html
One of these is also on the list - not sure I can get my head around the buttons though
A mate of mine has just announced that he has a gorgeous USA origin J-Bass in sunburst tha'ts sat there doing nothing, he says he's thinking of selling it but has offered to lend it to me.. sneaky bugger.
Will be interesting to see how it feels compared to my trusty Japanese P, suspect with my meaty paws and love of chunky thunderousness I'm a P-bass man at heart but it certainly can't hurt to have a go..... can it?
Defo can’t hurt 😀
So, I seem to have an escalating pedalboard situation! This is what happens when you have the bright/mad idea of not having a guitarist in your band and thus have a LOT of sonic space to fill with a bass guitar.
The current board is:
Barefaced Machinist (parallel fuzz/distortion with clean blend)
MXR M82 Bass Envelope Filter
Earthquaker Devices Grand Orbiter (phase/vibrato)
Earthquaker Devices Hummingbird (tremolo)
Barefaced Machinist (yes, two of them!)
However, I've found a Boss Delay pedal here, which I think might be good for more textural stuff, adding space etc. And I've got a Hamstead Subspace overdrive pedal here which could add some colour before the modulation pedals. And I've realised that I can't switch sound quickly enough without adding a loop switcher. So the next plan involves a DIY three way switcher, with the switches in a triangle so I can hit any 1, 2 or 3 in one go. And then buying some more pedals for textural (often chordal) stuff - having done a bit of hunting it seems these MXR ones are solid choices for bass chorus/flange/reverb but am open to suggestions!
Like this:
Loop 1:
Barefaced Machinist
MXR M82 Bass Envelope Filter
Loop 2:
Hamstead Subspace (overdrive-distortion but has clean EQ too)
MXR Bass Chorus Deluxe (also has a flanger on it)
Earthquaker Devices Grand Orbiter (phase/vibrato)
Earthquaker Devices Hummingbird (tremolo)
Boss Delay
MXR M300 Reverb (I know, a reverb pedal on bass?!)
Loop 3:
Barefaced Machinist
As I've been writing everything on my acoustic bass guitar at home (and imagining the FX!) it's going to take quite a while for me to get used to pedalboard tap-dancing again!
Right, I marched into the local guitar shop this morning determined to buy this 70's style walnut brown P bass. I've wanted one for ages and this is the first time I've seen one in the flesh. Plays nice, sounds mint, and they offered me a trade in on a 20 year old Washburn which I had zero love for. Done deal.
The only problem was it was sitting next to this...
This picture was taken in my living room. I had to have it!
It's a 50's style whatever that means. Apart from the slightly wider neck I couldn't see a difference. The bold white paint and anodised gold plate totally sucked me in. It makes the brown version look a little pedestrian.
With the tone rolled off it makes an incredible fat, dull, thudding sound. With it on it makes an acceptable growl.
So yeah, pretty happy with it. Now that our new arrival is sleeping better and we don't feel like the walking dead every day, I want to get back into a regular practice routine. I might even go wild and post a video.
A couple of things...
How do you fix fret buzz? Is it purely related the string height, and do they just need winding up a little?
Also any tips on sanding the super glossy finish off the neck? They showed me a second hand Fender in the shop where the owner has sanded it down and it felt lovely. Mine is incredibly glossy and quite sticky but how hard is the finish? Just checking before I attack it with the scotchbrite or wet n dry.
I've successfully used 3M 784 P400, used wet very gently in line with the neck. It only takes a couple of minutes.
Edit: I tried it on other surfaces first!
Fret buzz on a bass, check neck relief first.
Fret buzz on a bass could be so many things, so check out the videos on Youtube telling you how to set it up. You'll need a string height gauge or a decent steel ruler, and the right allen key for the truss rod. Start with truss rod, then go onto bridge saddle height, check the nut height and finally go for the intonation and pickup heights. You should be able to find a list of "standard" measurements for your Squier, but if not go with Fender setup recommendations.
I went with this guy's 4 part videos.
When you're adjusting the saddles put some wood glue on the threads. Every Squier bass I've played has suffered saddles that descend when playing.
Nice wee beastie you have there.
Thanks to another 'Oh I have a bass I'm not using' conversation I've inadvertently obtained a 2nd bass in the form of a glorious mid-80's vintage USA Jazz bass in Sienna Sunburst.
It's a lovely lovely bit of kit but... here's the thing. I think I prefer my trusty Japanese P, the Jazz's dual pick-ups are fun to twiddle with and the bridge pickup gives a nice parpy tone for fingerstyle funk stuff. just can't seem to get the chunkiness that I can wring out of the P.
Adding to this; I took the flatwounds off the P and fitted Dunlop Lemmy stainless steel rounds, wow, huge difference in tone, much brighter and growlier, they take overdrive much better, a big step forward in what I was after, in a perfect world I'd have both and put flats on the Jazz bass but that may be grounds for divorce.
The tone from a p can never be under estimated. My American Pro Fender P is a beautiful thing with amazing tone through the rumble 500 amp. I just wish the neck was a little slimmer.
I sold my fender mim jazz bass and I’m replacing it with a sandberg tt Electra. If that’s as lovely as I’m expecting then I’ll be chopping the p bass in for the sandberg equivalent too.
The Sandbergs are lovely looking bits of kit, the Californias in particular, like the option for an added Music Man style bridge pickup.
I liked this post by Ed Friedland many years ago on the old Bass Player Mag forum:
“ To my way of thinking, the difference between a P and J bass goes way beyond the physical. Yes, P bass - fatter neck (usually), split pickup, chunkier tone, less highs. J bass - slimmer neck, easier to play, dual pickups, more note definition, more high frequency.
But... I think P or J bass is a lifestyle choice as well. Committing to the P means taking on a set of preferences, and inherent parameters. You can't or at least shouldn't try to play a P bass like a Jazz. That would be missing the point. The P bass is a fat, chunky-butt animal that likes to take up space. It demands a high level of attention to what you play, because every note hurts - or helps. There ain't no takin' it back with a P bass. You better mean it, or be very good at making it work. You can play fast on a P, but it's not nimble like a Jackrabbit, more like a Grizzly doing 60mph to catch something to eat. Slap on a P? Sure, it's chunkfunk, think Boz Scaggs "Lowdown". The pop on a P is not as sharp as a J. It's like getting sliced with a serrated steak knife. Ouch! Use only when you gots to cut through some tough meat. Classic P guys... Jamerson, Rainey, Rocco, Bob Glaub.
The J is a sleeker machine. Being a Jazz guy means having a little more wiggle room. It takes up less space in the mix, so you can get more active without squashing people. With great power comes great responsibility. Just because you CAN move around, does that mean you should? And if so - how to, how much, and why? The J is a bit skinnier, so you have to learn how to use that texture to fill it up, and how to play it fat when it needs to be fat. Soloing? Sure. Slap? You bet. Passive it cuts like a well honed Buck knife. Active with a good pre amp, more like a barbers razor. Classic J guys... Jerry Jemmot, Larry Graham, Jaco, Marcus...
Some people make a choice early on and stick with it. Their entire style is built around that early decision, whether it was conscious or not. You may know some of these people. Players that would no sooner pick up the other axe than they would deliberately eat rotten food. There's honor in this I think, it certainly makes your life simpler when it's Friday night and you're trying to decide which bass to put in the bag.
I think it behooves (love that word) a professional bassist to have both and spend time cultivating the characteristics of each instrument. You need to make each one speak it's native language. There are some gigs that just naturally call for one or another. Not to say you couldn't switch around. You learn alot about the nature of the P and J when you try to make one do what the other does naturally.
Personally, I'm more fascinated with the P because I've always been a J guy by first nature. The J thing is in my DNA, but the P has gotten into my blood. I love chunkin out some fat ass P bass. It feels like I'm on vacation. The J still feels like home even though I've spent years getting used to the 5 string. I am definitely a confirmed 24 fret guy now. I always wished Fender would come out with a killer 24 fret J bass. I know.. the Urge bass.... Like I said.....
On most of my gigs these days, there is the expectation that I'm going to solo. If I wasn't so damned attached to what happens between frets 21 and 24, I'd bring a J, but.... Luckily I've found something with 24 that does it for me. But I still miss the opportunity to play my Fenders. I actually go out of my way to cultivate Fender gigs. No solos please!”
And from a subsequent thread I said this:
“Difficult...
As a main bass I prefer the Jazz neck, no question. But as an alternative instrument that I play differently then the big fat Precision neck helps me change my approach.
I like the look of both, though they seem rather big bodied, short necked and lacking in frets compared to my bass.
I like the big fat loud sound of the Precision pickup. I like the growly farty aggressive sound of the Jazz bridge pickup. I like the slinkier sound of two pickups and their handy 'sit in the mix' phase differences. I haven't done enough experimenting to come to a definitive conclusion on the 'best' two pickup sound.
If I'd been playing in the '60s or '70s I imagine a Jazz would have been my main bass. As it is, I prefer the even more versatile, clear and responsive sound of my '87 Warwick. So I doubt I'll ever need to own a J-bass. On the other hand I would really like a P-bass with big old flatwounds and high action, for greasing it up and laying it down like they did back in the day. Maybe one day I'll get one - but a RIM Custom will come first...”
I did get that RIM Custom 5 and played it a lot! 15 years on my position is definitely different - I prefer the P width neck (preferably not super deep front to back - the StingRay neck is basically perfect). My left hand seems to be happier even with fast complex stuff on a fatter neck, fewer aches and pains. I can live without a full two octaves of fretboard but please don’t make me have to fight with a big square neck joint when playing chords up high, give me one of those new ergonomic ones. And make sure it balances - this is where the Jazz usually beats the P.
Tonally the P attitude is more my thing, it’s so much more of a sledgehammer. I struggle with the lack of highs on a lot of passive pickups - I like older strings (partly because replacing strings often seems so horribly consumptive) and it’s worse with a P than a J. I like the Jaco etc bridge pickup funk thing.
Sacrilegious though it may sound, I’d rather have a P/J bass with EMGs - which I do though it’s a reverse P and the pickups are closer to the bridge than on a Fender. Or indeed a StingRay, which I also do!
I prefer short scale, and happily the Fender/Squier offerings have a P pickup in the middle and a jazz pickup at the bridge. The Squier Jaguar has the neck joint at 15 and the Fender Mustang at 14 so that's a point in favour of the Jaguar. And I prefer the Jaguar neck which is a thin C. If an Epiphone EB-0 comes up second-hand locally I'll try one.
Tonally the P attitude is more my thing, it’s so much more of a sledgehammer.
Yeah, that, I've never been the most subtle of creatures and the P just fits better in my meaty paws bashing out Punk and Hardcore lines. Much happier on the Roundwounds with a bit of overdrive blended in via my Sansamp.
Working on Mystery by Turnstile ATM.
Interesting piece that 👆
As a beginner, I’m trying a bit of everything, J, P and short scale, but maybe I’d improve quicker by sticking with one? 🤔
"As a beginner, I’m trying a bit of everything, J, P and short scale, but maybe I’d improve quicker by sticking with one? 🤔"
I think until you're confident with your technique then it's probably easier to stick with very similar dimensioned basses - string spacing at the bridge being the key thing. But the most important thing is to play lots! Playing through gear with more clarity (single coils vs big humbuckers, headphones or fancy full-range cabs vs old 15" speakers etc) tends to force you to tidy up your playing more quickly and also shows you the expressive potential of a bass guitar (it's very much like a bigger guitar!)
But as it isn't a competition and there is no destination, just stops along an endless journey, then I'd enjoy the journey however you prefer.
I'm just coming here to post this morning's find...
www.espguitars.com/products/26337-surveyor-87
It's ridiculous and I love it. I might be buying my own Christmas present this year! I've never really looked at ESP before but they've got some very nice PJ style guitars on their website.
In other news... 5 month old mini-me has finally accepted that his 7pm bed time is not flexible and he's passing out pretty consistently every night so I've started playing again. The new Squier P sounds lush and I've been really grilling it, trying to get some speed and accuracy back. It's amazing how much I dropped off the pace by not playing for a few months. Well, since June the 6th exactly. I found it impossible to do anything for a while there!
There's a studio/practice room set up near me which offers lessons. They've been shut for ages but I've made an enquiry. I want to play somewhere other than the living room and hopefully try playing with some real people.
Wow, that ESP looks interesting.
Not in the same league, but the Musicman Dark Ray is also shaking things up with the leds around the knobs. Definitely a bit ying to the pre-aged yang.
So, been noodling round on my old BC Rich but never massively got on with it, it's been kept mainly for sentimental reasons. Been looking at PMTs online store and quite fancy either one of the entry level Ibanez GSR200B (£199) or the Hofner Ignition violin base (£289). Don't want to spend too much and both guitars get rave reviews. Edging towards the Ibanez. Anyone got direct experience they can share or a recommendation around the £250 mark?
I’m not a fan of the violin basses.
For that price you’ll struggle to beat a Squire Affinity but I’d flex the budget if I could for a Yamaha TRBX304.
https://www.pmtonline.co.uk/yamaha-trbx304-4-string-bass-guitar-factory-blue
That ESP looks mental, love it, not a fan of the 'relic'ed' look, (unless it's an actual vintage instrument).
You won’t go wrong with a budget Yamaha, either the trbx304 or the BB234. I personally prefer the tone of the BBs but there are plenty of sound clips on YouTube
Thanks for the recommendations but I would really like to keep the spend south of £250. No thoughts on the Ibanez?
I haven't played either. It's an odd short list in that they are at opposite ends of the spectrum. A violin short scale and a plank long scale. I think trying a few would be a good idea to narrow it down. Of the two I'd take the Hofner because I like short scale and I quite like the bass sound on Beatles recordings.
The Ibanez are meant to be very good value for money, but you could do with getting a feel for various different types before you buy. Can you get yourself into a PMT store? I found them very accommodating and helpful. At your budget you can't really go wrong with a Yamaha as said above, or a Squier. Depends what you want to play of course, although anyone that tells you you need a specific bass type to play specific genres is either inflexible or looking for an excuse to buy more basses ....
Did you fall in love with your mate's USA Jazz bass, or decide it wasn't for you?
Asking for a friend who MAY be in the market for a USA Jazz at the right sort of price if he wants to shift it on......
It's gone back to him now, if it was a P or a PJ I'd be working out which child to list on Ebay but yeah the thinner neck wasn't for me.
I'll ask him what his plans are, where's your mate based? We're down in St Albans.
Thanks for the recommendations but I would really like to keep the spend south of £250. No thoughts on the Ibanez?
Ibanez are pretty good. I had a higher end one that played really well but didn’t get on with the thin tone on the D/G string. There are a few places doing the TRBX174 under £200 and that would probably be my first choice at your budget.
Who wants to see some Squier build quality?
A few days after I got the new P bass I noticed that the scratch plate wasn't sitting flush. Once I saw it, it started really bugging me! Also when holding it up to the light you could see loads of unidentified crumbs and scum in the gap.
Last night I had a chance to whip it off.
This is what I found...
Wires outside of the recess, squashed by the plate and sitting (luckily) either side of the screw that was holding it down.
Also the whole thing underneath was full of paint spray and saw dust which I've cleaned out.
So yes, quite nice for the money, but still thrown together on a production line by people who would much rather be doing something else.
Thanks for those setup videos up above, I'm planning to go through the process when I get the time. Some of the new string zing has worn off but it's still rattling like hell.
Dagan likes the Ibanez
Dagan likes everything. 😉
Here's his previous cheap bass vid.
PMT cheap bass vid 1
I bought the Squier vintage modified Jaguar before seeing the vid. I went into the shop to buy a Fender Mustang but prefered the Squier. Try before you buy. Mine is on page 2 of this thread.
I’ll ask him what his plans are, where’s your mate based? We’re down in St Albans.
West Yorks, but sufficiently mobile for the right deal!
I needed a 5 string for various bits of accompaniment work and got a Squier 70s classic vibe Jazz V ...... takes some getting used to, but the quality isn't an issue. It's made in Indonesia if that's any statement?